Associate Director - University Governance

Randstad is partnering with a prestigious Higher Education institution to recruit a skilled Associate Director - University Governance. We are seeking a detail-oriented, high-caliber leader who excels at building strategic relationships, embraces complex structural challenges, and is driven to secure flawless governance outcomes. About Your New Role This is not a passive advisory role. As a critical leadership figure within the university, you will actively steer, manage, and coordinate the complex workflows of the University Council and its key sub-committees. Acting as a trusted peer and advisor to top-tier executive leadership, you will provide the Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellors with total confidence in the institution's governance integrity. You will also directly lead and mentor a dedicated governance team, elevating the capabilities of the academic boards and secretariats. Key Responsibilities Strategic Steering: Oversee the mechanics, strategy, and seamless execution of the University Council and core sub-committees. Executive Advisory: Act as a trusted, high-level intermediary for the Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, and executive stakeholders. Accountability & Drive: Confidently influence senior leadership to ensure the timely delivery of meeting outcomes, action items, and assigned council duties. Team Leadership: Manage, mentor, and upskill a dedicated secretariat team, championing higher standards and capability development across the board. What You Will Need to Succeed To excel in this pivotal role, you must bring a unique blend of executive diplomacy, meticulous administrative execution, and a proven track record within highly structured public or tertiary ecosystems. Essential Criteria: Hands-On Governance Leadership: Direct experience managing and steering a University Council, Academic Board, or equivalent high-level public sector committees. Pure Secretariat Focus: Exceptional expertise in board mechanics, statutory compliance, and strategic agenda-setting. Executive Presence: Sophisticated communication and relationship-management skills, with the confidence to engage as a peer with top-tier executives. People Management: A proven history of leading and elevating direct reports within a complex administrative environment. Desirable: Direct experience working within the Higher Education or Government sectors. Why Apply? This is a rare opportunity to shape the governance framework of a major tertiary institution during an exciting period of growth and transformation. If you are a governance professional committed to inclusivity, collaboration, and high-performance leadership, we want to hear from you. Next Steps To apply or have a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please click 'Apply Now' At Randstad, we are passionate about providing equal employment opportunities and embracing diversity to the benefit of all. We actively encourage applications from any background.